Walking and Leaping!

Everyone knew the crippled man. He was a permanent fixture at the gate Beautiful. No doubt he had his regular donors who always gave him money as they entered the temple. It was a good spot to beg for money. But on the day he asked Peter and John for money they declined to give him any, but gave him what they had! In the name of Jesus they healed him and people were filled with wonder and amazement.

When I was very young a missionary friend of my parents was invalided home from missionary service in Nigeria. She was suffering from cancer and the tumour was growing progressively larger as her last days approached. The doctors gave her about three weeks to live. She had left behind a thriving mission work amongst leper children and the greatest agony of her heart was not that she was soon going to meet her Lord, but that the children back in Nigeria needed her.

All the mission supporters were praying for her - including my Mum and Dad, but not even they were ready for the news when it came. News, not of her passing into the presence of her Lord, but that the tumour had miraculously and completely disappeared overnight. Instead of preparing for her last days on earth, she got up and wrote letters to all her prayer supporters telling them what God had done. Her wish had been fulfilled, the hearts of the children crying for their adopted ‘mum’ had touched the heart of the Father. He had stretched out His hand and touched her dying body. She was totally healed and lived many more years to serve the Lord. Everyone was totally amazed.

I understand just what the people must have thought when they saw the crippled man, no longer begging, but dancing with joy! When Peter and John were hauled before the high priests to give an account for what had happened, they were able to testify to the fact that it was through the name of Jesus that the cripple man had been healed, but that there is an even greater miracle that is available to all from the hand of the same Lord Jesus - the gift of salvation.

The physical miracle gave them the opportunity to tell of how this same Jesus wants to heal our broken hearts and restore us into relationship with the Father and enjoy Him forever, in time and eternity. All healing is a witness to the salvation that Jesus won for each one of us on the cross. the One who heals is also the One who saves!

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the miracle of healing - and that the even greater miracle of salvation is available now to everyone who chooses to believe and receive the Saviour for themselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.